


Courtesy

by esmecvllens



Series: From Dusk Till Dawn [2]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Cullen clan - Freeform, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Good Parent Charlie Swan, Kind of smut, Twilight Renaissance, carlesme, esme cullen being an angel, im gonna use this tag so many times it becomes official, omg i love how thats actually a tag, yeeees charlie!! we love charlie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:26:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27495685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esmecvllens/pseuds/esmecvllens
Summary: Not much happens, but Esme and Carlisle officially meet chief Charlie Swan.(I somehow managed to make it still revolving around Carlesme, I'm sorry. Lots of fluff involved.)
Relationships: Carlisle Cullen/Esme Cullen
Series: From Dusk Till Dawn [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2010493
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	Courtesy

**Author's Note:**

> so umm im not sure how this even happened? i was just thinking how the cullens don't really have any interactions with charlie, but they had to plan a wedding together and yeah. im sorry if it's boring, i just love the domestic stuff so much
> 
> also, it is so hard for me to juggle between carlisle being the super serious head of the family and just a 23 yo guy in love???? i feel like he would act very differently around esme alone and thats what im channeling
> 
> ALSO My Tumblr is esmecvllens and I'm desperate for more twilight mutuals!!

“Is it too much?” Esme was swirling around, watching herself in the mirror. She kept red lipstick in hand, ready to put it on. The chestnut curls of her hair fell gently down her back like a waterfall, and on the front it nicely surrounded her heart-shaped face. She was wearing a yellow blouse with a V-neck and white pencil skirt, her long legs covered in black tights, perfectly outlining her delightful body shape. Simple white heels only completed the look. She sent Carlisle an impatient stare.

“You look perfect,” he said, as he always would, and focused on her for a minute. “But maybe lose the red lipstick.”

“I was thinking so, too, I don’t want to make Charlie feel uncomfortable,” she wondered and put the lipstick back inside her cosmetics bag, full of all kinds of expensive make up supplies. She sent one final look towards her mirror reflection. “I want to make a good impression. It’s not everyday you get to meet your son’s father in law, is it?”

“Love, you would make a good impression even if you went naked,” Carlisle said, and she looked at him with her eyebrows risen. He used to be a little jealous of his wife, especially when she's out looking the way she did then, with her delightful curves and long legs covered only by black tights, but the jealously was long gone; he trusted her way too much. He pretended to ponder about something and chuckled, “No, I suppose you would make a great impression then. Poor Charlie wouldn’t know where to look.”

“Shut it!” she squealed, but sent him a grin. “I’m going to go myself and tell him I lost you along the way. We'll have a splendid afternoon.”

“No way, he might try to steal you,” her husband laughed and put his hand on the back of her neck to bring her closer, then he softly kissed her puffy lips. She sighed deeply, but let herself sink into his touch for only a second before she broke the kiss and slipped away from him; Carlisle looked at her with his eyebrows risen in surprise.

"Hey!"

"We don't have time for that, love," she reminded him and put her hands on his chest. He rolled his eyes, but reached for the shiny black tie that had been waiting for him to put on. Esme automatically began tying it on his neck. He was wearing what she chose for him – a casual white shirt with sleeves rolled up and brown trousers, and he tucked the pantlegs. Esme's skillful fingers were halfway into tying the knot when she stopped.

“No, lose the tie, it was supposed to be a casual meeting,” she said out of the blue, then took the accessory off and threw it onto the bed. She opened two buttons of his shirt and improved it a little, straightening up the collar. “Now you look great.”

Carlisle looked at himself in the mirror and rolled his sleeves higher.

"You don't fall far behind," he joked, but he wasn't able to take his eyes off her. She looked absolutely radiant, gorgeous, with her bright smile and perfect body she outshined the sun. Carlisle still sometimes couldn't believe that she chose him. That perfect woman, flawless inside and out, with her big heart and beautiful personality, he wasn't sure what he ever did to deserve her.

Esme laughed and turned to see their reflections. Carlisle put hands on her shoulders and massaged them gently, which she welcomed with a sigh.

"Thank you for the compliment, husband dear," she said ironically, but then chuckled when she felt one of his hand on her butt. "Oh, come on!"

"I can't help it," he whispered against the soft skin on her neck. She felt her knees getting weaker all of a sudden and couldn't find her voice for a solid second. Carlisle gently bit her earlobe, with his hand still on her bottom."I love you, sunshine."

"Yeah?" she muttered and pressed her tiny body against his. She took his other hand and placed it on her breats - she felt how cold it was even through layers of fabric. He welcomed it with a smile and gently rubbed his fingers against her bosom, his hand reaching towards her cleavage. 

"I'm going to show you how much I love you," Esme whispered, but her voice was a little shaky from his touch. He loved how she acted all dominant, yet he could make her collected self all shattered. Carlisle placed a few wet kisses over her neck and ear, making it even harder for her to focus on what she was going to say. "but later, now we really, really have to go."

Before Carlisle answered, Alice stormed inside their bedroom. He stepped away from Esme immediately and she nervously stretched her blouse, as if she still felt his hand on her breasts. Alice only rolled her eyes at their efforts; their kids could hear everything they said, anyway.

“I don’t know who you’re trying to fool,” she diclared, making them both look at her. “Charlie would be overwhelmed by you two even if you went in pajamas.”

"Don't you know how to knock?" Esme asked, only causing Alice to cackle.

"You're acting all shy as if we didn't hear everything," she shrugged. "All I'm saying is, you two always look too good for humans."

“She’s right,” Rosalie appeared by the doorstep, too. “I don’t know why you even try. I’m pretty sure Esme is physically unable of looking casual.”

It was true, for the most of time. Esme didn’t even own clothes that one would consider domestic. She didn't like anybody besides Carlisle seeing her in a stretched t-shirt and leggings. Her vampire body didn’t feel any discomfort or pain, so she wore whatever she really liked, no matter how tight or uncomfortable it would be for a human. And it just happened that her personal style was rather sophisticated, if maybe not a little outdated.

“She looks stunning, doesn’t she?” Carlisle winked at their daughters and they nodded. Then he talked to Alice. “Since when you and the chief of police are on first name basis?”

“We’re good friends,” Alice replied gleefully. “I used to visit him often after last year. He’s a great guy, very straight-forward. Try not to terrify him.”

“You know that you don’t have to do it at all, right?” Edward yelled from the living room and they heard Jasper and Emmett laughing. “It’s not the nineteenth century.”

“Says Eddie, the hundred year old virgin,” Emmett teased and him and Jasper roared with laughter; Esme used all her strenghts not to do it, too.

"Call me Eddie one more time and you might lose an arm," Edward hissed and Emmett just tightened his muscles as a reply, still amused. Esme ran downstairs in the vampire speed and stood in front of her boys with arms tied on her chest.

“Oh, Edward, but it’s customary! We’re all traditionalists in this house,” she said playfully and not a second had passed until she felt Carlisle’s hand on her waist. “And we’ve never done this!”

“You wouldn’t rob your mother of that pleasure, would you?” her husband asked Edward and looked at the clock. Without waiting for his son’s response, he added, “Love, it’s almost noon. We should go.”

Esme liked to leave the house everyday, with or without Carlisle by her side. She would always find a reason to go. She liked wandering around town, meeting citizens, even doing groceries sometimes, which they would later donate to homeless shelters. She was a people’s person, loved visiting Carlisle at work and going to every teacher-parent conference to hear how good students her kids are. To her, getting all ready, dressing up nicely, putting make up only to pick up Carlisle from the hospital and get lots of looks from charmed men was incredibly rewarding and felt great. She and Carlisle would laugh about it sometimes, but she just couldn't help it, she enjoyed the attention.

Which was why she was so thrilled now. She heard a lot about Charlie, but had never really met him – not in person, anyway. She felt really curious about who he was. By now, she got to know Bella well, but she hadn’t spent a second with her family, and to Esme, meeting new people was always a good experience.

“What are you thinking about?” Carlisle asked her in the car after a few minutes of silence.

“Oh, nothing much,” she replied. “Just Bella and Charlie.”

"He's a great man," her husband said, taking his eyes off the road for a second to look at her. "I really like him."

"I'm sure I will too, then."

Esme hardly knew that part of the town, because Bella's house stood on the outskirts. Small and adorable family house with white curtains in each window and flowers on the windowsills made a great impression on Esme. Carlisle parked the car in front of it and jumped out of the vehicle dirst to open the passenger door for her. She smiled - she never really asked him to do it, he was naturally full of little gestures like that. It made her a little melancholic and proud when she realized that Bella was about to be blessed with Edward's manners forever, too, with little habits he picked up from Carlisle in their hundred years together.

She walked first, Carlisle right behind her. Charlie opened the doors at the first doorbell. He must had been anxious, she could hear his heart beating like crazy. He looked just as she imagined him to be; neat, dressed in checked blue shirt, with impressive mustache and greying hair. He welcomed them and Carlisle shook his hand. Esme smiled warmly when his eyes laid on her, and although he surely did not expect it, she cuddled him welcome.

"It is so nice to finally meet you Charlie, Bella told us so much about you," she said. "You have a truly beautiful home, it seems very cozy."

"Thank you," Charlie replied, but his voice showed how nervous he was. He was staring at Esme with a weird shine in his eyes, almost as if he was afraid it was inappropriate and wanted to look somewhere else, but couldn't. Carlisle fought a smile - he knew too well what it's like to be charmed by her. 

"Oh, I hope it's alright I just jumped into the first name basis here," Esme let her husband take her coat off and didn't stop talking.

"It wasn't my intention to overstep at all, but our children are getting married, so why don't we lose the extravagance," she laughed and slipped her hand out, waiting for him to shake it.

"Please, would you call me Esme."

Charlie didn't shake her hand, but kissed the top of it. "Of course."

"Please forgive Esme, she always talks this much when meeting new people," Carlisle joked when Charlie led them to the living room. Fresh flowers were standing on the table, surely Bella's idea. Esme immediately picked up sweet scent of tulips. 

"Oh yes, shame me for wanting to make Charlie feel comfortable," she rolled her eyes, but wasn't offended by her husband's words at all. They locked amused looks together for a second before Charlie spoke.

"No, that's great," he replied and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm- I'm not the greatest talker myself."

Esme could feel how worried he was. Was it about that meeting, about Bella, or their wedding? Or all at once?

"Please, sit," Charlie said out of the blue, pointing at the living room couch, as if he suddenly remembered that's what he was supposed to do. "Would you like anything to drink, coffee, tea?"

Carlisle took a breath and was about to say something, but Esme squeezed his thigh gently and spoke first. Carlisle probably wanted to object - they weren't really supposed to drink anything besides blood, as any human food consumed by a vampire had to be thrown out later, but Esme was sure a cup of tea wouldn't kill them. She wanted to act all natural and make Charlie feel like a good host, even if it meant she a few unpleasant minutes in the bathroom later. 

"Yes, two teas would be wonderful," she smiled warmly. "No sugar."

Charlie disappeared in the kitchen and Carlisle placed a hand on her knee.

"You know you're going to regret that tea, right?" he whispered so quietly only Esme's vampire ears could catch that he even said anything. "So, what do you think about him?"

"He's adorable," she replied. "But seems very blue. I don't think he likes the idea of Bella marrying Edward."

"Well, he doesn't trust our son very much," Carlisle shrugged. "Edward did leave Bella after all. He has every right to feel wrong about him, as you would if it happened to any of our kids."

"I'm going to make him trust us more," Esme sat more comfortably on the couch and leaned on the pillows. Carlisle followed her, trying to look natural, but failing miserably. He smiled at her announcement - his wife was truly the most loving person he ever knew, and she would do anything she could to always make people around her happy and safe.

"I know you will," he took her hand and kissed her fingers before Charlie came back with three teas on a wooden tray. Esme immediately drank a sip of hers. It felt weird to hold hot fluid in her body, she hadn't drank anything besides blood for a few solid decades straight, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. Carlisle, however, twitched a little when he swallowed his drink. He hadn't eaten any human food for way longer than Esme.

"So, Charlie," she said after putting the cup back on the table, trying to ignore the weird feeling in her stomach. "How do you feel about all this? The wedding?"

Charlie looked as if he was torn between saying what he thought and keeping it to himself because what he felt wasn't really all that nice. He rubbed the back of his neck again and sighed, slipping deeper into his old armchair.

"I love my daughter," he said, and Esme nodded in agreement. "I love her very much."

Silence fell between them for a second. Carlisle excused himself under the pretext of using the restroom and rushed to the room pointed by Charlie. He wouldn't do it unless he felt really bad, so Esme guessed it was probably the damned tea.

"I support whatever decision Bella makes, but..." Charlie continued, and then looked at her as if he was sharing a secret. "I don't like this. It's too soon, and she is only nineteen. I married early, too, I know what I'm saying."

"We understand you don't trust Edward," Esme said softly and placed hands on her knees to make herself look more polite. "Truly, we do. I can't speak for my son, but I know Edward regrets leaving Bella more than anything else in his life."

"I was with her back then," Charlie muttered, his voice getting sadder all of a sudden. "She was... a wreck. And they're both so young, why not wait a little longer? You can't honestly tell me you're all fine with that."

Esme just nodded compassionately. In fact, she was more than fine with that. Bella was perfect for Edward, and he'd been alone for so many years, Esme would accept her and love her like a daughter no matter what. To her, having doubts wasn't even an option, and she knew Carlisle felt the same.

But at the same time, she understood why Charlie felt so differently about all this. He didn't know half of what was truly going on, didn't get Edward's reasoning for leaving, and was only worried to death about his beloved daughter.

"We are," Esme nodded. By that time Carlisle came back, moving soundlessly and gracefully as always, and took his place by her side. Charlie looked at her weirdly.

"Honestly, we are. Bella is just wonderful for Edward, as he is for her, I'm asking you to believe me here. Our kids are capable of taking good care of themselves. If having five taught me anything, it's that."

"The rest of our family welcomed her with open arms, too, if that's what you're worried about," Carlisle added.

Charlie still didn't seem convinced, but something about Esme's words and her warm personality seemed to calm him down a little. In fact, he didn't take his eyes off her, and Carlisle smirked, amused. It was easy to believe Esme's every word. She had that effect on people, or maybe everybody just felt that she means no harm. She made everyone feel safe. Carlisle was so proud of his wife.

"I just know how marrying at such young age ends," Charlie muttered, but his voice was way softer than before. "In a heartbreak."

"It doesn't have to be this way, though," Esme replied, and send Carlisle a warm smile. That gesture seemed almost automatic.

"I'm sorry that happened to you, Charlie, but it doesn't have to end up this way. We got married young and I haven't regretted it for a second," she was still smiling softly, as if only speaking about Carlisle made her feel proud and cozy. Her husband didn't want to make Charlie feel weird, but every muscle of his body told him to hug Esme close and kiss her forehead.

Well, maybe the part of getting married young was not exactly true, but Charlie didn't have to know that, and Carlisle knew Esme wanted to make him believe that everything was going to be alright.

"Just trust Bella, as we trust Edward," she went on. "I'm sure they'll be alright. I'm absolutely positive of it. I know my son."

"Maybe you're right, Esme," Charlie sighed and rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. This whole situation was a lot for him to comprehend, but at least privately doctor Cullen and his wife turned out to be very nice people. That took a few pounds of weight off his chest, as for the past few days he was anxiously wondering how that meeting would go. He promised himself that he wouldn't say anything to embarass Bella in Edward's parent's eyes, and he gladly admitted to himself that it's all going very smoothly.

"She's always right," Carlisle chuckled and placed his hand on her knee again. Charlie didn't seem to care, anyway.

"And how did you two meet, exactly?"

Esme and Carlisle locked surprise gazes - they didn't expect this question to arise. They both started speaking at the same time, but Esme stopped and nodded at her husband to encourage him.

"I like to say I saved her and she saved me."

Esme rolled her eyes. "You're so dramatic," she laughed and turned to Charlie. "Long story short, we briefly met in college, then I had an accided and was put in a hospital where Carlisle had his practices. He treated my broken bones and asked me out for a coffee."

It was a little story they came up with a long time ago and would tell whenever somebody asked how they'd met. It wasn't even that far from the truth.

"We just had a lot of luck," Carlisle admitted and smiled, but thought that it wouldn't be smart to dwell on the story much longer. He turned to Charlie. "So, Charlie, I hear you like fishing?"

The rest of the visit went by rather smoothly. Esme drank another tea (Charlie asked again and she really couldn't say no) and the host seemed to feel good around them by the end. They discussed the upcoming marriage, where it's best to fish in Forks (Esme almost laughed out loud when Carlisle was trying to sound as if he knew the first thing about fishing), they exchanged the ideas of how they saw their kids' wedding, and how they would split up the cost. Carlisle offered to pay for it fully, but Charlie strongly disagreed, saying that there's absolutely no way - he has only one daughter and he was going to support her however he could. His devotion was heartwarming to Esme, but truly, wouldn't she do just the same?

An hour passed by and Carlisle said that they really should go; Esme added something about cooking dinner, though it was obviously a lie. As they were putting on coats and exchanging last sentences by the doors, suddenly Bella came inside, carrying bags full of groceries. They were all so into the conversation they didn't even hear her old truck on the driveway. For a second she seemed surprised to see the vampires here, but she quickly remembered what day it was. She was soaked wet - it was pouring strongly, as usual in Forks. Her long, wet hair sticked to her entire face. She looked at her dad and Charlie immediately took the bags from her and went to the kitchen put them on the table.

"Hello, Carlisle," the smiled to her future father-in-law. "Esme." 

"Hi, sweetheart," Esme said loudly and took the girl into a long embrace, completely ignoring that Bella's clothes were all wet. Esme placed a kiss onto her head and whispered, "We've talked to your dad a little, I think he's growing onto the idea."

"Thank you," Bella muttered back and looked at Carlisle, who winked at her and nodded.

Charlie offered them an umbrella, but Esme politely declined, saying that they will run to the car. They exchanged goodbyes and promises to meet again and left the Swan household in great moods.

"I think it went well", Esme said as Carlisle opened the doors for her and she quickly sat on the passengers seat. She ran fingers through her damp hair and looked at herself in the car mirror. 

Finally, Carlisle could place fingers on Esme's chin and turn her face towards him, looking her deep into her golden eyes. She seemed a little surprised, but smiled. He wanted to do this ever since they stepped inside Charlie's house. No, ever since she pressed her back against his chest and took his hand to place in onto her breast when they were getting ready in the morning.

"Are you seriously this happy we made a good impression on Charlie?" she grinned, showing a set of perfectly white teeth. "Me too."

"You're so tempting today," Carlisle said and placed his hand on the back of her neck. "My God, truly phenomenal."

"Thank you, you don't fall far behind," she joked, repeating what he told her in front of the mirror a few hours ago. He chuckled and bent down to place kisses on her jawline, fingers of his other hand slowly slipping behind the fabric of her expensive blouse. His touch against the marble skin of her breasts felt so good Esme could just faint. She embraced him with her arms, fingers tied behind his back. They could be seen through the car windows but she simply did not care. She sighed deeply, closing her eyes and enjoying his cold tongue drawing circles around her neck and jaw, but then, out of the blue, she groaned and twitched so hard her husband stopped and looked at her warningly, his hand immediately out of her bra.

"Now, what was that?"

"Remember saying that I was going to regret drinking those teas later?" she asked, looking at him apologetically. "I think the time has come. You should really speed home."

Carlisle laughed so hard it almost hurt her eardrums. "You lasted long!"

Esme sat straight on the seat and placed hand over her stomach. "Just drive."


End file.
